A Google Cloud Platform in Montreal is good for all of Canada

The opening of the new Google Cloud Platform (GCP) region in Montreal is huge for Canada.

Being closer to the cloud will give Canadian businesses powerful performance gains. But more importantly, it will also give our country a strategic foundation to stand out and lead in the global data economy.

Data is the new oil. It’s a resource of massive value. Nearly every business and person on the planet depends on it in some form or other.

Like oil, data exists in an environment, and that’s the cloud. (Yes, there are other data environments, but the cloud is the way of the future, period.) With this new Google cloud region, Canadian companies will have even more capacity to mine, manage, and monetize their ‘data oil’.

This is key, because unlike oil, data is highly mobile. It can live anywhere. The cloud can be anywhere. But real-world factors like regulations and legislation—and the laws of physics—give an edge to places that have the cloud hosted on their own soil.

GCP gives Canada a leg up

What advantages does Canada gain with Google’s new GCP region in Montreal?

Speed. Google has said applications hosted in the new region could have up to 90 percent less latency for local users compared to the next-closest region. Companies can build and run applications faster, with better response times, both of which convert into competitive advantage.

Data sovereignty. This is becoming a major issue for organizations and governments worldwide. (Check out this Toronto Star article that quotes Pythian Senior VP, Keith Millar, on the sovereignty issue and its implications.) To reinforce the point, have a look at this op-ed by Jim Balsillie on the necessity of Canada to establish a data strategy—let’s just say that all of this hinges on our ability to host that data in Canada. Organizations are often required by law to store data on native soil for privacy and security—and the volumes can quickly add up. Google is demonstrating a real commitment to helping Canadian businesses meet their compliance needs with its new Montreal data center.

Opportunity. Because data and application performance get better the closer you are to where processing happens, organizations around the world that want to do business in North America need a footprint on this continent. The new Google Cloud Platform region positions Canada to be a potential home for that data. In particular, European entities looking for a base of operations in North America may prefer Canada to the U.S. because our overall regulatory regime is more compatible and aligned with their requirements.

Google is invested in Canada’s future

Google has been building its presence in Canada for more than a decade. The company continues to grow its teams to support Canadian businesses’ forays into the cloud, and now it’s made Montreal one of just 15 Google Cloud Platform regions in the world—the first in this country.

We love working with Google at Pythian because their eyes are always on the future. Take artificial intelligence and machine learning, which are going to transform how people do everything from agriculture to manufacturing. The cloud is essential to putting those technologies into play and Google knows it. What else could handle data from thousands of sensors that are tracking millions of measurements and feeding algorithms that predict equipment failures before they happen or analyze behavior patterns to provide more personal shopping experiences? You can’t. It takes the cloud.

And it will take the cloud to fully deliver the benefits of technological advances in areas like renewable energy, which aren’t just about the future of technology but the future of our planet.

Taking Canada full-on into the cloud

With the GCP coming to Montreal, Canada is positioned better than ever to make that future come true. Our team can’t wait to help make it happen. We’re a Google Cloud Platform Premier partner with Specialization in Data Analytics and more than 40 experts certified on GCP. In the past three years, we’ve had a hand in a number of Google Cloud service launches. And we’re completely focused on optimizing technology to maximize companies’ business outcomes.

Companies of all stripes are focusing their data strategies on the cloud: not just the ones that have sprung up in the cloud era but those that have been around for years, too. With the explosion of data everywhere, they need the cloud (and specifically “big cloud”) to really harness the value of their data—their ‘oil’.

The keys to cloud success are high availability, performance, security, and cost-effective pricing. As a data-centric company for more than 20 years, we’ve built up our capabilities to help companies realize those benefits. And we’re going to keep on doing so.

About the Author

As Pythian’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul leads this center of excellence for expert, outsourced technical services for companies whose systems are directly tied to revenue growth and business success. His passion and foresight for using data and technology to drive business success has helped Pythian become a high-growth global company with over 400 employees and offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Paul, who started his career as a data scientist, founded Pythian when he was 25 years old. In addition to driving the business, Paul is a vocal proponent of diversity in the workplace, human rights, and economic empowerment. He supports his commitment through Pythian’s hiring and retention practices, his role as board member for the Basic Income Canada Network, and as a supporter of women in technology.

PYTHIAN®, LOVE YOUR DATA®, and ADMINISCOPE® are trademarks and registered trademarks owned by Pythian in North America and certain other countries, and are valuable assets of our company. Other brands, product and company names on this website may be trademarks or registered trademarks of Pythian or of third parties. Use of trademarks without permission is strictly prohibited.